Best Mistake
by Freyris
Summary: ONESHOT. Mistakes are always inevitable. Athrun reflects on the mistakes he did over the past 2 Bloody Valentine Wars and come up with his best mistake among everything he did. A birthday special for Athrun. AthrunxCagalli.


**Best Mistake**

**Freyris**

**A/n: **So this was the birthday fic I was talking about a few days-err weeks back. It took me months to think hard about this. I had to sort of role play myself as Athrun in order to set the mood and it wasn't easy.** I had to put myself in Athrun's shoes.** Man, as much as I like him. He really frustrates me sometimes especially in DESTINY. :\

So first part would be Athrun talking in his POV and the italics will be flash back. The setting will change into the present and from there the POV will change into normal okay? :D

I hope you guys like this and HAPPY BIRTHDAY ATHRUN! (though uhmm it's two days advance) XDD

* * *

_They say if you do something wrong. It's wrong however, if you recognize and acknowledge that it was wrong it becomes a mistake._

_Everybody makes mistakes. Nobody is perfect and mistakes are always bound to happen. It a normal thing._

_It only depends on the person whether they do recognize them or not. And when you recognize those mistakes. You learn from it and make it right._

Well, I did.

I've made a lot of mistakes in the past.

It was a wrong to leave my carrier and land on a inhabited island somewhere in the Pacific Ocean thinking it was safe. I've given my team mates an extra load. Our mission got delayed because I was lost in the Pacific while everyone else was already in Carpentaria.

But then I met her. A girl who I mistakenly thought for a guy. She wasn't a soldier yet she stands proud and tall and sounded like someone with authority. She was tough and no matter how lame it may sound she was the only one who got close enough to shoot me. Not even Yzak got close enough as she did.

I'm no good at reading people but strangely, when I spent a night in the cave with her. I saw what kind of girl she was. Beneath her tough exterior was a girl who only wanted all the fighting to stop. She knew what and how important life was. She was pure, honest,straight forward and a bit stubborn in a cute way.

_"Cagalli!" She smiled "My name's Cagall. What about you?"_

_"Athrun"_

Strangely, after our encounter she never left my mind. Cagalli, the girl who was had the guts to order a full fledge ZAFT red coat soldier around like it was normal thing.

It was wrong to fight with the person whom you've considered your best friend, who you've considered like a brother and kill him.

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. Kira killed Nicol. Nicol had a bright future ahead of him. He wanted to be a famous pianist. He loved the piano and he was still so young. He still had a lot of dreams to accomplish.

Seeing Nicol die right infront of my eyes, I had to take revenge. I took the life of Kira's friend.

It was a mistake that I was still alive when Cagalli and her crew found me unconcious on the shore with a broken arm. I thought I was going to die after avenging Nicol. Funny, she had to point the gun at me like she did the first time I met her.

She knew Kira. I knew Kira. I knew him very well. We grew up together. She and I knew how weak and how Kira could easily cry. We both knew he wasn't really cut out for war. He was too gentle. But I killed him by detonating Aegis.

_"Killing because someone killed. Being killed because you killed. Is that really going to lead to peace?"Cagalli screamed as she clutched my shirt. Her tears falling down my lap as she cried._

Her words were like a huge truck that slammed right through my made me realize how pathetic I was that I had to take my best friend life becuase he killed my friend. But we were at war. People die and that's a fact.

And despite the fact that I killed Kira my best friend, her friend. She still cared for me and given me extra protection.

Her Haumea pendant.

Because I was _reckless_. Well, sometimes I suppose.

It was a mistake not to return back to PLANTS after receiving my fathers order to retrieve the stolen Unit: Freedom. I couldn't kill Kira twice now that he's still alive. That's just stupid. I had to talk to him without the guns and weapons. But because of that Lacus Clyne was branded as a traitor nation wide, my engagement with her was voided and her father was killed on my father's order.

However, the choice I made opened my eyes. It wasn't a mistake after all. What the world my father wanted wasn't the same as I envisioned. It was selfish and conceited. It was not the world that would lead to peace.

My stay with the ORB, Cagalli, Kira, Dearka and the ArchAngel Crew made me realize a lot of things. I found people who share the same ideals as me. We knew we wanted a better future than what my father wanted. Something that would make both worlds coexist.

It was a stupid mistake to talk to my father, get shot, arrested and branded a traitor in less than an hour. I realize his full intention, he was blinded by power and he threw himself in his work. He had forgotten who he was. Right there, I lost my father. I felt like I lose everything already but at that loss I gain something I found to be precious. I found a person who I thought I could listen and help me understand the world.

There was Cagalli.

She may have lost a greater deal than I did bit she was holding up stronger than I was. I admired her strength and she could still knock some sense in my little hamster brain. Heh, that's how she puts it.

I admired her.

Unknowingly, she became a very valuable person to me and I had the strong urge to protect her. She was strong but I can see in her eyes she was just trying to hold herself together. I wanted to be by her side and keep her as strong as she was when I first met her.

After the war, I didn't know it was wrong that I didn't finish the job my father left behind. I didn't clean up the mess he did. to put everything

It wasn't a mistake that I chose to stay with her. I chose to change my identity to Alex Dino but I made a mistake in believing that no one else had followed my father's footsteps.

I was wrong.

There were fools who still believed my fathers words.

It was only 2 years after the first Bloody Valentine War that I realized my father's words never stopped influencing the people who used to stand by his side. They lived through his words that someday it will bring them to a pure blue world.

_"The path Patrick Zala took was the right path"_

It was wrong for them to believe my father's principles.

I had to do something. No matter how you look at it, I am the son of Patrick Zala. I am Athrun Zala not just Alex Dino.

And I had to end everything my father started. Once and for all.

Leaving her was one of the most stupid, the most absurd mistake I ever did. Cagalli already had her head tangled up with a lot of issues. I only added to her concerns.

The day I left, I gave her a promise ring in the most unfashionable way. It was a ring that signified my feelings for her. That signified we were bonded in some way. I had to tell her subtly that she was mine before some baboon sweeps her off her feet before I did. I wasn't stupid. That creep had always been aware of our relationship and would always think of ways to make me jealous. I would have ran over that Seiran with my car if he wasn't an important person in the Parliament.

We had our happy moments. We had our share of fights and misunderstandings. We had our sad moments. We had a lot to share together.

However, I left her alone in a crucial time. I never realized it. I turned a blind eye on her the moment I was back in PLANTS and I almost lost her when I found out she was a kidnapped bride.

I was wrong to push her away that day we met at Crete. I told her somethings that hurt her. I was a jerk for not trying to understand her. I forgot how much she shouldered her work and the country all by herself. I pushed my friends away. I pushed her away. I pushed Cagalli away.

_"There are certain things I understand but can't accept...you know what I mean"_

If it weren't for Kira, I would have never realized Cagalli was suffering. She was crying and I wasn't there by her side. I was stupid. I got blinded with what's important to me. I had my eyes in trying to correct all the mistakes my father left behind, the Second Bloody Valentine war and what I thought was right. I thought I had everything all together but in the end I didn't. I lost what I have believed the previous war.

It was a wrong to drag an innocent CIC operator into this mess. I had to make Luna cry and think she lost her little sister. Seriously, I had to drag her all the way until we were nearly dead.

It wasn't a mistake that I defect ZAFT for the second time in the most unfashionable way. I was more or less powerless and I got myself owned by a someone younger than me. Pretty lame, I know.

I hated myself. Everything I did from the start after all was a mistake. I made the most important person in my life cry.

_We_ talked.

I knew then that we can still salvage of what was left between us. We both made our mistakes and it was time to make it right.

We all had the same dreams but we always take a different path in order to get it.

_"It's fine right now. We don't need to rush our relationship. We have the same dream"_

It may sound wrong that I had to leave her again before the final battle with Chariman Durrandal but I promised myself one thing. I've learn from my mistakes and when the war is over I'm going to make them all right. And hopefully, when we have the future we wanted I can protect it. I will protect her and the future just like I did before.

_**(1)**"So that our paths may cross again...I will protect that future."_

_"Athrun Zala, Justice, Taking Off!"_

* * *

He tossed to side and groaned as the sunlight peered into the room through his curtains. The lovely chirps of the bird outside were greeting him a good morning and a shrill voice coming from the hallway finally woke him up to his senses.

"ATHRUUUUUUUUUN!"

The voice screamed as he heard a continuous pound on his door. He sighed and grabbed his white dress shirt on the floor and slipped it on. He looked back at his bed and the lump on the bed remained motionless.

"ATHRRUUUN! OPEN UP WE HAVE AN EMERGENCY!"

Athrun Zala, ORB Admiral of the Special Defense Force sighed and opened his door. "What's the problem Ms. Mana?"

The middle aged lady looked like she was about to cry. Behind her were several guards running along the hallway and talking to each other on their mouth piece. "Something terrible has happened!"

His brows furrowed as he watched a couple of the household body guards continue to run back and forth in the hallway as Mana started sobbing. "What problem? Is there any bomb threats around the estate or something?"

She shook her head and looked up at the young Admiral. "Cagalli!" She cried. "Cagalli's missing. The princess is missing!"

A smile crept on his face and visibly relaxed. He chuckled and leaned on the door as his hand held it. "Ms. Mana, Calm down"

"How can you be so calm Athrun! I thought you cared for her!"

"Ms. Mana, I said calm down or..."

"I CAN'T CALM DOWN AND I WONT! Cagalli is..."Mana abruptly cut Athrun mid-sentence and threw him her cries over the missing Representative.

"I'm right here for Haumea's sake Mana" a voice screamed from behind Athrun.

"or you'll wake her up" Athrun finally finished his sentence and slightly opened the door further for Mana to see her.

"Princess?"

Cagalli Yula Athha, Orb Chief Representative stuck out her hand and waved at Mana dismissively as she continued to hide beneath Athrun's white linens. "Call off the search will you please Mana? Everyone's so noisy in the morning" She groaned. "It's annoying"

Mana gave a long meaningful look at Athrun and sighed. "Alright. Breakfast will be served in a few minutes Ms. Cagalli." Athrun gave Mana a sheepish grin before she turned a heel and call off the search.

"Down in an hour or so, Mana. " Cagalli said as Athrun shut his bedroom door close and laugh.

"Well, we have a lively morning don't we huh?"

"Another mistake by Mana " Cagalli sighed as she popped her head out underneath the bed. Her growing blonde hair sticking out everywhere.

"People always make mistakes Cagalli. It's a normal thing" Athrun smiled as he sat down on his bed and looked at her scowling face.

A small smile formed on her pink lips."Again with the mistakes huh? Don't you get tired of making mistakes?"

"Hey, you learn from your mistakes!"

"Really" She scoffed and giggled "So what was your greatest mistake?"

"Well, I don't have any greatest mistake I can be proud of but I know I have the best mistake I ever did" He said as he leaned back on the his head board and looked at her.

Cagalli sat up holding the sheet over her chest and looked at him curiously. "What?"

"You really want to know?"

"Quit stalling and tell me Zala" She frowned and crossed her arms on her chest.

Athrun Zala chuckled."You really want to know?" He slowly leaned forward and brushed hie lips on hers and pressed his forehead on hers. "It was leaving my homeland for some girl I couldn't forget . I made a lot of mistakes and this time I'm making them all right" He said cupping her cheeks and brushing her cheeks lightly with his thumb. "deciding to stay behind and be with you was the best mistake I ever did."  
he whispered

"So...I'm a mistake?"She asked sounding hurt.

"No" Athrun looked at her straight in the eye. "Surprisingly, all the mistakes I did became the right decisions in my life. You, Princess are just right for me. Right beside me" He softly said and pressed his lips against her again and pulled the line over them completely forgetting about their breakfast.

"Right here, right now."

* * *

**Done! Yeey! So before anyone else argues with what mistakes and wrong are I'd like to say I am no expert in telling what the real difference is because all of us has our own opions about it. XD So please don't make a big deal out of it. Anyway, I honestly think this isn't the best ONESHOT but I kinda like it. PUTTING YOURSELF IN ATHRUN'S SHOES IS HARD.T_T I had to try and understand him and his character. **

**Maaan. I've written several aftermath ONESHOTS of the end of the DESTINY but it was always biased on obviously Cagalli's side so for a change I wanted to do Athrun's. So please don't kill me if I didn't do a great job. I do really think Athrun really scked so bad in DESTINY because of a lot of issues compared to the Athrun of SEED. (who was more cooler and didnt get pwned by underlings) **

**I hope you guys liked it anyway. **

****Note:**

**(1) Athrun's thoughts before the launching for the final battle in DESTINY. From GS/D The Edge. [so I do really believe Athrun was making ways to comeback to Cagalli ]**

**Feel free to tell me what you guys think. I'll be waiting XD**

**HAPPY BIRTHDAY ATHRUN! **

**Freyris**


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